Stop Buying Things, Start Buying Experiences

Sir Richard Burton once said, “The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.”

As a standalone quote about travel, it is inspiring. However there is true power in this statement, as recent studies show how experiencing life, rather than spending money, can bring true happiness.

The study, out of Cornell University, tears apart the long-held idea that spending money on a physical object rather than a fleeting experience brings you more happiness.

“One of the enemies of happiness is adaptation,” says Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University who has been studying the question of money and happiness for over two decades. “We buy things to make us happy, and we succeed. But only for a while. New things are exciting to us at first, but then we adapt to them.”

And travel can be the ultimate experience. As you shift from your daily life in exploring the world around you, there is no better memory to hold on to, or moment to savor.